Job's comforter

noun

A person who, in trying to offer help or advice, says something that aggravates the distress.

“Only a Job's comforter would try to argue that yesterday's stock fall announcement could bring anything good.”

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Meanings

nounJob's comforter (plural Job's comforters)

plural Job's comforters

  1. figurativelyA person who, in trying to offer help or advice, says something that aggravates the distress.

    Only a Job's comforter would try to argue that yesterday's stock fall announcement could bring anything good.

    1 more example

    Pagett is a famous Job's comforter. He displays a certain gloomy satisfaction that maddens me.

    1924, Agatha Christie, The Man in the Brown Suit
  2. obsoleteslangA boil.

Origin

From the Bible Job 16.2 where Job's supposed friends offered advice that was not helpful.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish pocieszyciel Hioba
  • pocieszyciel Hiobaperson who aggravates someone's distress under the guise of consoling them
Cite this entry
APA

Job's comforter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Job's%20comforter

MLA

“Job's comforter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Job's%20comforter. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Job's comforter,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Job's%20comforter.

Source: Job's comforter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.